Everything about Chelmsley Wood totally explained
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood and large housing estate in the North of the
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the
West Midlands area, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is located near
Birmingham International Airport and the
National Exhibition Centre. There are several bus routes linking the town with
Birmingham city centre, located about 8 miles away, as well as the town centre of
Solihull.
History
Chelmsley Wood is a relatively new area, which was built by
Birmingham City Council in the 1960s on ancient woodland (part of the Forest of Arden) as an overspill town for
Birmingham. Permission for the construction of the
overspill estate on
greenbelt land was granted by
Richard Crossman as
Minister of Housing and Local Government. A shopping centre (which opened on
7 April 1970), a library (completed in 1970 at £240,000), hall and a few public houses but no other leisure amenities were included. In recent years, it has been marketed as 'North
Solihull,' but this hasn't really caught on in the area and outside, perhaps because of the socio-economic difference between working-class Chelmsley Wood and largely middle-class Solihull. With the adjoining neighbourhoods of
Fordbridge and
Smith's Wood it became part of the
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in 1974.
Recent development
The exact boundary of Chelmsley Wood has become blurred in recent years and Chelmsley Wood as a town has actually shrunk since it was built. Many areas that were considered to be Chelmsley Wood originally, have now become separate areas, notably the areas of Fordbridge, Smith's Wood and Tile Cross.
Plans are currently under way to carry out the largest renovation of older parts of the area since the demolition of many high-rise blocks of flats in the early 1990s. The current plans propose changes to the central shopping centre area, including the construction of a large
supermarket, as well as modernisation of housing and commercial buildings in the Craig Croft area. In addition, there will be the renovation of the library and surrounding buildings
Reputation
Some people perceive Chelmsley Wood to have very high crime rates, drug related problems, unemployment and poor standards of education - the derogatory stereotype of the 'chembo' was similar to that of the
chav but predated it by at least two decades. This reputation is in many ways not unfounded as all of these problems are more prevalent in Chelmsley Wood than surrounding areas, however when compared to
housing estates in other areas of the United Kingdom with similar
socio-economic backgrounds, Chelmsley Wood is a highly successful example of UK
urban planning.
Redevelopment projects include the demolition of Chelmsley Wood's Whitesmore School, and its replacement with the Grace Academy at a cost of £32million
(External Link
).
Chelmsley Wood is also part of the wider Regeneration of North Solihull, a partnership between Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and the private sector. An estimated £1.8 billion will be invested over the next fifteen years.
Politically, Chelmsley Wood voters have been known for their strong support of Labour candidates at both local and national elections. However, in May 2006, the Chelmsley Wood ward of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council elected a candidate from the
British National Party, the first in Solihull's history. The elected candidate, George Morgan, won by a margin of seven votes and is due for re-election in May 2010.
Chelmsley Wood in Popular Culture
- The area is mentioned in the song 'Michael A Grammar' by the Birmingham band Broadcast from their 2005 album Tender Buttons.
- It was also the inspiration for Lynsey Hanley's 2007 book, Estates: An Intimate History; Hanley grew up in Chelmsley Wood and refers extensively to it in the book.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Chelmsley Wood'.
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